Method and apparatus for producing fibrous board



May 26, 1925.

H. CARMICHAEL ma'rnov AND APPARATUS FOR Pnpbqg neflaaous BOARD FiledNov. 15; 1921 s Shets-Sheet 1 hi'iay 26, 1925.

H. CARMICHAEL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD FiledNov. 15 1921 5 sheets shee LiZIIIIIII \mayuoa am s Qcmmm May 26, 1925-;1,539,542

H. CARMICHAEL HETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD FiledNov. 15. 1921 v 5 Sheets-Sheet #TMZQ May 26, 1925. v 1,539,542

H. CARMICHAEL 4 METHOD AND A PPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD VFiled Nov. 15. 1921 5 sheets-sheet 4 I" v HHJHUH MHH hm fl Wm W St: 9 zI 4 V m w m &

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May 26, 1925' H. CARMICHAEL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUSBOARD Filed Nov. 15, 1921 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5- \VYASVYQK Qwm QmxmmPatented May 26, 1925.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CARMICHAEL, OF MIALZDEN MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF FOURTEEN ANDFOUR-TENTHS PER CENT TO IRVING HOLLANDER, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHU- SETTS,FIVE AND FOUR-TENTHS PER CENT TO J. W. NOURBOURN, ONE AND EIGHT-TENTH'SPER CENT TO HARRY W. COBB, BOTH OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS," ANDSIXTY-FOUR PER CENT. TO THE UPSO'N COMPANY, OF LOCKPORT, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD.

Application tiled November 15, 1921. Serial 1T0. 515,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CARMIGHAEL, a citizen of the United btates,residing in Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Methods and Apparatus forProducing Fibrous Board, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts. o

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for producing in acontinuous manner board, which may be of indeterminate length and ofmaterial thickness and referably of fibrous material, in which the barsare interlocked or. felted with one another. v

To this end, the fibrous material admixed with a relatively large volumeof water or other fluid to form a fluent pulp or stock is admitted underpressure into a pressure chamber to form therein a homogeneous mass offibers interlocked in all directions and of substantial thickness; whichmass of interlocked fibers is moved continuously through said chamber,and while in motion is subjected on -"opposing surfaces to pressurewithout disturbing the relation of the interlocked fibers, whichpressure is maintained and increased as the fibrous mass progressesthrough said chamber to consolidate and felt. the fibrous material andform a non-laminated compact board of substantial thickness, of maximumstrength and whose fibers are interlocked in all directions.

The passage or chamber is formed in an apparatus provided with a pair ofopposing walls which are movable toward the outlet end of said passageor chamber.

opposing walls may be made as platens and superimposed drainage belts,and said platens may be composed of sections capable of sustaining heavypressure and pivtion of the endless platens. Provision is also made foradjusting the sectional upper and lower platensto avoid slack and obtainthe proper drive of the same.

Provision is also made for Washing the drainage belt, as will bedescribed. v

These and other features ot-this invention will be pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification. f

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus with which toproduce compact fiber boards in accordance with my im-. proved method.

Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view onan enlarged scale of the lefthand end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 3-3,Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of theright hand end of th apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, a vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5-5,Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7, details of the construction of platen and drainage beltshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. -8, a modified construction for adjusting the platens.

Figs. 9,10, 11 and 12, modifications of platens to be referred to, and

Fig. 13, a diagrammatic view to illustrate the formation of the compactboard from the fluent stock.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, a;represents a passage or chamber into which fibrous material admixed witha relatively large amount of water, or other fluid, and under water andin the compact form of a board In a preferred form of apparatus, the-The side walls I), 0, may and preferably will be made of brass plates,su'itablyi secured to supporting members 7, g.

The top and bottom walls d, e, may and preferably will bemade itsendlessplatens v [tween it and the pulleys 41, 47. The lower composed ofsections 'or members .10 pro vided With overlapping fingers 12 throughwhich extend pivot ins 1 3, see Figs.' 2 and 6. Each platen mem 'er orsection is'pro"- vided on its inner surface with gear teeth 14, arrangednear the opposite sides of said platen member orv section, and the gearteethon adjacent platen members are arranged in alignment to form gearchains, with which cooperate gears'for driving .them and" the endlessplatens to which they are attached. The teeth 14, on the lower lap ofthe upper endless platen d are en aged with-and driven by'gears 16, 17,see vigs. 2 and 4,.a'ndthe teeth 14 on theupper lap of the lower endlessplaten e are engaged with and .driven by gears18, 19.- The gears 16',arev .fast' on a shaft journalec}; n support- 20 ing members 21, 22.,and the gears 17 are fast; on a shaft 23 journaled in boxes 24 which-aresildably-secured to the supporting members 21, 22 so as to be movedtowardand away from the shaft 20 to ta ke'up slack in the lower lap ofthe upper endless platen, and thereby maintain the upper walldof thechamber a taut and substantially straight or flat. The supportingmembers 21, 22 are provided with slots 25, see dotted lines Fig. 4,which permit .this'adjustment I of the shaft 23 and the gears 17thereon.

3 -Theshafts 2O, 23,'-- are provided with sprocket wheels 26, 27 whichare connected by a link chain28, seeFiggl.

The gears 18 are fast on a shaft 29 1on1-v naled in. the supportingmembers f, g, and

' .naled the earsf19'are fast on a shaft 30 jourin boxes 31 which areslidably 'secured to the supporting members f, g, which wheels 32, 33chain 34.-]

have slots 32'-to' permitadjustment of the shaft 30 and the gears 19ther'eon with relation to the-"shaft 29 and gears .18. The shafts 29,30' are provided withspifocket which are connected by a link The shaft2o is'driven from; the shaft 29 by gears 35, 36, see Fig. 3, and theshaft 29, which constitutes the mai'n shaft, is rep resented as providedwith 'a. fast pulley 37;

1 41, see

. less platen 'd is supported directly and with a loose 'pulle 38. Theupper 'endless 'ilaten d is passe about pulleys-40,

'ig. 1, mounted on shafts 4 2 4.3 journaled 1n stationar sideframes.44,$J-15' near the opposite en s of the same, and

platen e is passed about nale e foratens with theleast? possible power.To t is end, the 'uppe'rend ulpon roller bearings ,50'carried' b link cains 51 which are passed about t e: pulleys .40, 41 between them and theendless. -p1'aten, and

the lower endless platen 'e'fis likewise sup;

pivotedat one end and other ends toward and 64, attached to is connectedat'one end with sproc et wheel.71, se opposite end with the shaft 63 bysprocket the' water y p sit:

ported by roller bearings .50 interposed belapof the upper endlessplaten and the upper la of the lower endless platen are maintainestraight'orflat by rigid bearing mem.-

are firmly attached to the supporting memd V berg 72 if9g' 1 Thesupporting members 20, 21, are-shown" as' channel irons andare arrangedto have apivotal 'movement, being practically ing members f, the presentinstance,

from the supportthe supporting adjustable at their 7 members 21 22- forthe shafts 20, 23 are I hung by bots 56 from .the'

Figs. 2 and 3, and sufiicient .play is allowed upper .portions'f '44, 45of the stationary side frames, sec

between the bolts 56 and the supporting members 21', 22 to permit thelatter to pivot on said bolts. The supportin members f,

q forthe shafts 29, 30 norma 1y rest upon oweri portions. 57 of thestationary 'side frames, as re connected by members 21, 22. 1

The opposite or rear end of the'upper supporting members, 21, 22restupon cams 60,

are faston .61, see Figs- Land 5, which shafts 62, 63 supported in thelower supporting-members f, 'g andin bearin hubs The cams 60, 61aresuitably shaped-to elemembers 21,22 from the by very thede h' of theoutlet or rear end of the cham the stationary side rames. y

resented Fig. 3, and are It's 58 with the supporting havecooperating'Iwit-h their top surfaces, a

second set of cams 66, 67 which are fast; n on a shaft- 68-and serveas'abut-ment'mem- 1 I bers to limit the upward movement, of the upper" up ng embers.- Th h ft 3' I p the sha'ft 62 by :s rocket wheel 69,- linkchain 70. and

wheel 72, link chain '73 and sprocket wheel turning it, so as to turnthe four cams lower platens have coo them drainage belts .76, 77 through'which is expressed from the fibrous material or stock onv the, fassage'of the latterqthrough the board arming chamber at. The. raina'ge belts76, 77 may beofan'y. suitable construction, butit, may be'preferred'toempl Btruction illustrated in Figs.

1, .6 and 7,

Fig. 5, "and at its? I 74,: and isprovided with afhandle for; v

61,- 66, 67. simultaneously.' The upper and- 9! rating with s oy theconv whmi thefdiainage belt is shown S-Q mof fabric.

. andv fills the same, and is carried forward The endless drainage belts76, 77 are arranged to contact with the lower lap of the upper endlessplaten d and with the upper lap of the lower endless platen e and topreferably be separated from the upper lap of the upper platen and fromthe lower lap of the lower platen so as to afford opportunity forWashing any fiber stock which may adhere to the drainage belt. Asrepresented in Fig. 1, the upper drainage belt 76 is passed about apulley' 82 and the lower drainage belt 77 about pulley 83 located at therear end of the apparatus, and the said belts have cooperating with themspray nozzles or devices 84-, which are supplied with water from a pipe85 connected in practice with the water main.

The endless platens are arranged on the framework of the apparatus so asto provide the chamber a with a greater area at its inlet end and in thepresent instance the platens are arranged so as to form a board formingchamber which tapers from its inlet toward its outlet end, with theplatens forming a pair of opposing walls of said chamber. whichconvergeand are movable toward the outlet end of said chamber.

The inlet end of the board forming chamber a is operatively connectedwith a supply of fiber stock admixed with a relativel large amount ofwater, or other fluid, whic supply is represented herein by a pipe 86provided with a nozzle 87 which is extended into the chamber a at .itsinlet end. The nozzle 87 is constructed and arranged to make arelatively water-tight fit with the walls of the chamber a,'and theplatens are provided with packing strips 88, see Figs. 6 and'7, whichmake a watertight joint with the side walls b, 0 of the chamber a. Inoperation with the apparatus-herein shownand described, the fiber stockadmixed with a relatively large ambunt of water or'other fluid andtherefore in a fluent condition is admitted into the chamber a underpressure toward the relatively narrow outlet end of said-chamber by themovable opposing walls.

d, e thereof. On the passage of the fibrous stock through the chamber a,the greater portion of the waterpasses out of the chain her a throughthe drainage belts, and the. loose fibers are thereby brought together,and form a homogeneous mass of fibers interlocked in all directions ofsubstantial thickness and admixed with fluid, which mass is advancedsubstantially as fast as formed and is subjected on opposing surfaces topressure without disturbing the relation of the interlocked fibers,which pressure is maintained and increased as the fibrous massapproaches the outlet end of the chamber, thereby consolidating andcompactin the fibrous mass into a board after t e manner represented inFig. 13, which is carried out from the chamber and is carried awaytherefrom. in any suitable manner. It will be observed, that the board 10O formed as-above described may be continuous or indeterminate inlength, and may be cut up into individual boards of any desired orrequired length. It will further beobserved that the fibrous material ina loose condition is admitted into the chamber in the presence of arelatively large amount of water, or other fluid, is fed forward in saidchamber and gradually or progressively consolidated and compacted into arelativel solid mass to form a board of predetermined thickness, and ofsubstantial strength owing to theinterlockin fibers, which can besubsequently dried, and otherwise treated, and further which can be maderapidly-in a continuous manner and at a minimum expense. It will furtherbe observed that with the apparatus herein shown, the homegeneous massof fibers interlocked in all directions, before being sub-' jected tothe maximum pressure on its opposing surfaces, is supported bv the sidewalls of the chamber laterally of the points or area where the maximumpressure'is ap plied, and-is also supported at its rear'by' the fluidpressure within the chamber, and

is therefore prevented from being moved laterallyand rearwardl while itis being of its moved forward to the p ac'e where it is subjected to themaximum pressure. It will further be observed that the-fibers of theportion of the board which is subjected to the maximum pressure, areinterlocked with the fibers of the homogeneous mass of greater thicknessand which is. subjected to lesser pressure, and that the transition fromthe homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers containing'more or less waterinto a com-' pact homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers containingsubstantially little water, is

gradual and continuous while the fibrous'i mass is in motion, and isaccomplished by the iiiovable platens without rupturing or otherwisedisturbing the interlocked relation between the fibers subjectell to themaximum pressure and those subjected to a lesser pressure.

In and 7.the 8a. wan. b, a of the board forming chamber a: are shown asseparate from the endless platens, but if desired the side walls 6, 0,may be attached to or formpart ofone ofthe endless platens asrepresented in Figs. it may be preferre tomake the endless platens insections as represented in Fig. '6, but it is not desired to limit; theinvention in this respectas they maybe made in'the 11 and 12.' So also,I

- fornrof endless wires, cords, or the like 90, and the drainage beltmay be' made of the perforated metal 80.alone, as represented in Figs. 9and 10.

It maybe preferred to adjust the upper supporting members 21, 22 bycams, as represented in Figs, 4 and 5, but it isnot dev sired'to limitthe invention in this respect as they may be adjusted by fluid pressureafter the manner shown in Fig. 8, wherein an hydraulic ram 91 is shownas engaged with the top surface of one supporting member as 22, and thehydraulic ram 92 with the lower surface thereof. v

In the present instance one construction v ofapparatus is shown formaking a board of an indeterminate or continuous length, by

' feeding fibrous stock. through a. chamber having a pair of opposingwalls which are movable toward the outlet end of the chamber, but it isnot desired to limit the invention to the particular construction. ofapparatusherein shown.

'Claimsa 1. A method of making fiber board of considerable thicknesscomprising mixing paper fiber with'an excess of water so that theindividual fibers interlock with one another in all directions, forcingthe water and fiber under great pressure into a forming chamber andconveying it through said chamber with progressively increasingmechanical pressure while permitting the water to escape until thedesired thickness of board is attained, theme'chanical pres surebeing-laterally applied and the matcrial being compressed thereby whileconfined against escape or displacement by the formed board at one endand the force feed pressure of the. water and fiber at the other.

.2. In an apparatus'of the character described, in'combination, a pairof endless platens composed of sections pivotally connected together andarranged to form substantially flat or straight converging unyieldmgopposing walls of a chamber,-means 00- operating with said platens toform side.

wallsbfsaidchamber, means for supplying said chamber with fibrous stockin a fluent condition, and means for moving said end-' less platens tofeed the fibrous stock toward the outlet endof said chamber andprogressively separate the fluid therefrom Y and compact and felt saidfibrous stock.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a.board-forming chamber havinga pair of opposing and converging foraminouswalls and a pair of walls cooperating with, .said converging walls ,toform a chamber having-walls at its top, bottom and sides, saidconverging walls being movable from the inlet toward the outlet endofsaid chamber, means co-pperating Y with said eonverging'wallstomaintain them substantially flat or straight, (and-a1. nozzleco-operating with thewalls of said chamber at its inlet end to rendersaid chamber relativel fluid-tight at its inlet end and for supp yingmaterial mixed with'fluid under pressure into said chamber.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, aboard-forming chamber open at its outlet end and sub,- stantiallyfluid-tight at its sides and inlet end and provided with a pair ofendless platens arranged to form substantially flat' or straightopposingand continuously converging foramino'us walls of said chamber,and having side walls co-operating with said converging walls, means formoving said endless platens from the inlet end toward the outlet end ofsaid chamber, and means for supplying said chamber at its inlet end withfibrous material admixed with fluid.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, aboard-forming chamber provided with continuously converging opposingforaminous walls movable toward the outlet end of said chamber tosubject a homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers admixed with fluid to acontinuously said foraminous converging walls substantially flat orstraight.

'6. In an apparatus of the character described, inbombination, aboard-forming chamber provided with continuous, substantially straightor flat converging opposing foraminous walls movable toward the outletend of said chamber means for supplying a homogeneous mass of fibersinterlocked in all directicnsto said chamber to be engaged with andmoved by said converging walls and to be subjected thereby to anincreasing pressure, means for solidly supporting saidconverging wallsto-maintain them substantially straight or flat against movement awayfrom each otherby the interlocked fibrous mass and thereby preventdisturbance of the interlocked'condition of its fibers, means for suprting the mass of fibers at the sides of said ressed by said convergingwalls, and means or moving said: convergin walls toward the outlet endof said cham r.

' 7. The method of making fibrous board,

chamber while being com-- ing an initial pressure to opposing sur aces(if successive portion s of said mass while the latter is in motion insaid chamber; pr0-' over the entire area of said lengthwithdifgressively increasing the pressure 11 on the ferent ressuresapplied to different portions successive-portions oi the mass initia 1ycomof fsai len th whi e thelatter is in motion 10 pressed while theinitial pressure is being within the hoard-forming chamber.'

5 applied to a following uncompressed por- In testimony whereof, I havesigned my tion of said mass, and subjecting a. substanname to this scific'ation. tial length of the fibrous mass to pressure NRY CARMICHAEL

